If It's Too Loud, Turn It Down (in mastering)

Over the years, rock and pop artists have increasingly sought to make their recordings sound louder to stand out on the radio, jukeboxes and, especially, iPods.

But audiophiles, recording professionals and some ordinary fans say the extra sonic wallop comes at a steep price. To make recorded music seem louder, engineers must reduce the “dynamic range,” minimizing the difference between the soft and loud parts and creating a tidal wave of aural blandness.

They interview a couple of mastering engineers, Ted Jensen and Bob Ludwig, who both put the blame on directly on musicians, producers and record-company executives who demand loudness at the sake of fidelity and dynamic range.